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Fire shelter protects in dangerous wildfires

Nebraska firefighters know the danger of battling wildfires, like the ones in Arizona that killed 19 firefighters, after battling several wildfires last summer.

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Updated: 10:41 PM CDT Jul 1, 2013

Fire shelter protects in dangerous wildfires

Nebraska firefighters know the danger of battling wildfires, like the ones in Arizona that killed 19 firefighters, after battling several wildfires last summer.

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Updated: 10:41 PM CDT Jul 1, 2013

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WEBVTT NEBRASKA FIREFIGHTERS KNOW THE DANGER-- AFTER BATTLING SEVERAL WILDFIRES LAST SUMMER. NEW TONIGHT, WE'RE HEARING FROM THE NEBRASKA FOREST SERVICE-- AND A MAN WHO TRAINS CREWS FOR THE WORST. HE áKNOWS-- BECAUSE HE'S BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES BEFORE. HERE'S KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN'S ANDREW OZAKI. FOUR POUNDS OF EQUIPMENT-- A LAST RESORT FOR CREWS BATTLING WILDFIRES.( NAT SND: FOLDING) CASEY MCCOY... THE FIRE TRAINING MANAGER FOR THE NEBRASKA FOREST SERVICE SHOWS US HOW FIRE SHELTERS WORK.( Casey McCoy: The idea is to catch a lot of air, cause the air is an insulator for you.) THEN LAY ON THE GROUND AS FIRE RAGES OVER YOU. THIS ORANGE ONE IS A PRACTICE SHELTER THE REAL ONES ARE MADE OUT OF REFLECTIVE MATERIAL. 19 FIREFIGHTERS FROM PRESCOTT, ARIZONA'S "GRANITE MOUNTAIN HOT SHOT CREW" USED THE SHELTERS SUNDAY... BUT THE DEFENSE WAS NOT ENOUGH.( Casey McCoy: The conditions must have changed on them. They must have. They don't make to a type one hotshot crew, I mean they are not the best for no reason. ) EACH FIREFIGHTER HAD OVER 100 HOURS OF TRAINING... AND AT LEAST A YEAR'S EXPERIENCE FIGHTING WILD FIRES. MCCOY SAYS THEIR DEATHS... ARE A REALITY CHECK.( Casey McCoy: Losing this many in one incident is tough. ) MCCOY KNOWS THE DANGER-- HE'S FOUGHT WILDFIRES FOR 24 YEARS. AND HE HAD HIS áOWN CLOSE CALL-- CAUGHT IN HEAVY SMOKE.( Casey McCoy: the ram on the front of the hood. I couldn't even see that as we were moving. That was probably one of the worst that i've felt. ) HE SAYS THERE IS AN UNWRITTEN BOND BETWEEN ANYONE WHO IS WILLING TO RUSH INTO A BLAZE AND PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE TO SAVE SOMEONE ELSES.( Casey McCoy: I may have never met any of those guys, it's still tough to here. tough to here 19 of them won't be going home.) ANDREW OZAKI KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. McCOY TELLS US HE CANNOT RECALL ANY RESCUE WORKERS WHO DIED IN NEBRASKA WILDFIRES. THERE'VE BEEN SOME INJURIES THOUGH, INCLUDING A DONIPHAN FIREFIGHTER WHO WAS SERIOUSLY BURNED IN 2006.

Fire shelter protects in dangerous wildfires

Nebraska firefighters know the danger of battling wildfires, like the ones in Arizona that killed 19 firefighters, after battling several wildfires last summer.